Documentaries

XANIM

Director: Shaida Salah
South Kurdistan (Iraq) / 2006 / 26m / Kurdish (Sorani) with English subtitles / PG

The often harsh realities of daily life in Kurdistan, particularly for women, are vividly portrayed in this portrait of an elderly widow who works in the market place and looks after her mentally ill son.

NAZÊ

Director: Ümit Kivanç
North Kurdistan (Turkey) 2006 / 72m / Kurdish (Kurmanji) with English subtitles / PG

Nazê was born in Iraq. She has lived in Iraq, Iran and Turkey and in November 2004 she was 105 years old. For the last thirty years, she has lived in the Karli (Befircan) village of Yüksekova. With the help of her grandson, a long and fascinating life is recalled.

RICE WITH CHICK PEAS

Director: Özkan Küçük
North Kurdistan (Turkey) 2005 / 45m / Kurdish and Turkish with English subtitles / PG

A documentary portrait of Fahriye and her two sons Arjen and Rojen. She and Tahsin married at an early age and without their family's blessing. In Istanbul they earn a living by selling rice with chickpeas. Before the birth of their second son, Tahsin abandons his wife and family. Now the years have passed, and Fahriye tells the story from her viewpoint but at the same time it also becomes the story of Tahsin.

VENDETTA SONG

Director: Eylem Kaftan /> Canada 2005 / 52m / Kurdish (Kurmanji) and Turkish with English subtitles / PG

Director Eylem Kaftan leaves her home in Montreal to uncover a family mystery. She travels to the Kurdish region of Turkey to investigate the death of her aunt Güzide who was killed 30 years earlier. What did her aunt do that cost her life?

SADDAM’S TANKS

Director: Farzin Karim
South Kurdistan (Iraq) 2004 / 7m / no dialogue / PG

A film about the once mighty tanks of Saddam Hussein that needs no words to convey its message.

SCALES

Director: Amir Gholami
East Kurdistan (Iran) 2006 / 7m /Kurdish with English subtitles / PG

A set of scales is the universal symbol for equity and justice. This documentary shows the scales that ordinary people – doctors, super market workers and goldsmiths – are using in everyday life.

SOVEREIGNTY IN THE SKY

Director: Kameel Ahmedy
UK 2006 / 3m / in English / PG

Documentary portrait of a tea man working at ROJ TV, the Kurdish satellite channel broadcasting in Europe which Turkey is trying to close down.